A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to graphic user interfaces for computer systems and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for providing a stereoscopic graphic user interface.
B. Description of the Related Art
Many modern computer systems employ graphic user interfaces (GUIs) as a way for users to interact with computer application programs. Familiar examples include the Macintosh user interface from Apple Computer, Inc., and the Windows 95 user interface from Microsoft Corp. A GUI may include forms, buttons, tool bars, list boxes, combo boxes, image boxes, and so on. The user navigates between forms and controls by using a pointing device, such as a mouse. Movements of the mouse cause a corresponding movement of a cursor or pointer located on a display screen. When the cursor is positioned over a target feature, the user clicks the mouse button, which triggers a software function that is linked to the target feature. Commonly, the GUI provides the user with visual feedback of his actions; for example, the GUI may cause a button to appear to be depressed.
There exist some stereoscopic (xe2x80x9cstereoxe2x80x9d) viewing implementations that operate in the context of a GUI and that allow a user to view a stereo pair of images on a display screen. One example is the Neon product from Neotech. Such products are essentially conventional monoscopic (xe2x80x9cmonoxe2x80x9d) graphic user interfaces that have the capability to display a stereo pair of images. Although such products allow a user to view stereo pairs of images, they do not provide a robust GUI that allows the user to manipulate the stereo pair of images interactively. For example, although such products may employ a stereo pair of cursors, the cursors are used simply as pointing devices. They cannot be used to manipulate or interact with the image, in part because the product does not support stereo pairs of buttons or tool bars. As a consequence, the user must employ cumbersome special key combinations to manipulate the image.
There exists, therefore, a need for a stereo graphic user interface that employs conventional graphic user interface tools.
Consistent with the invention, a method for providing a stereoscopic graphic user interface comprises displaying on a display screen a master interface object and a slave interface object that is a duplicate of the master interface object and is at a fixed displacement from the master interface object. A master cursor and a slave cursor are displayed on the display screen, and the slave cursor is moved in fixed relation to the master cursor based on movement of a pointing device. The slave interface object is updated to track any changes made to the master interface object.
Consistent with the invention, a method for providing a stereoscopic graphic user interface comprises displaying at least one stereo pair of graphical objects, at least one stereo pair of interface objects, and a list of supported stereo viewers. After receiving a command from a user selecting from the list of supported stereo viewers, the display is updated based on the selected viewer.
Consistent with the invention, a method for using a stereoscopic graphic user interface for color correction comprises displaying at least one stereo pair of color graphical objects on a display screen. After receiving a command from a user to modify the color of the at least one stereo pair of graphical objects, a transfer function is determined. The transfer function is smoothed to create a smoothed transfer function, and the display of the at least one stereo pair of graphical objects is updated based on the smoothed transfer function.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and following detailed description are intended only to exemplify and explain the invention as claimed.